It's all because of you!
by x-MewHazzard-x
Summary: A year later Alice returns to Underland and reunites with her beloved friends. This is when she meets a new Tea Party attendant, Eric. Alice becomes forever closer with the hatter but now she seems to be getting similar feelings for the strange new boy ;
1. Chapter 1

**Greetings my fellow, Wonderland fans ^_^**

**My name is Hazzard (even though it says Hayzzard ^^" typing error) I usually write stories for Tokyo Mew Mew but ever since watching the Tim Burton version of Alice Wonderland…well I literally fell in love with it! :D**

**This story that I am writing now is basically what happened after Alice left about one year later.**

**The new character (mine ^_^ just in case of confusion) is a boy named Eric. He has no ties with Alice or anyone in the story he is completely new…unless I decide otherwise, later on about his past ^_^**

**Please Enjoy x x**

* * *

Alice wondered around the garden looking for the rabbit hole.

Oh, where could it be?

"Alice, dear!" She sighed and turned to see her mother running toward her.

"Yes mother, dear?" she replied smiling.

"Won't you come inside and have a nice chat with everyone? They would love to talk to you about your future plans," Alice's mother explained as she gently guided her toward the house.

"Oh mother, I would rather stay out here for a bit longer," Alice confessed.

"Alice," her mother snapped. She took a deep breathe, "Darling, I've been watching you through the window. You've walked in a circle – fifteen times!"

"Then just a few more to match my age, mother," Alice smiled and went to wonder again but her mother grabbed her arm and again and gently pulled her back. Alice looked to her mother and saw the worried expression. "Mother, I am a successful young woman. Do not fear. I will not loose so easily."

She smiled and so did her mother letting go of her arm, "Okay. I'm sorry Alice. It's just you've made me so proud and you have such a…unique reputation," Alice giggled at her mother's choice of words making her mother smile, "You don't deserve anything less than you already have, darling."

"I'll be fine mother. Don't worry," Alice kissed her mother, one for each cheek and gave her a final goodbye hug, though her mother was unaware, "Um…mother, and you know that I love you right?"

Her mother gasped and looked a little surprised, "Alice, of course I know that. You must know that I love you too, my darling."

Alice smiled, trying to hide the battle of fighting back the tears.

"See you," Alice said quickly as the tears threatened to spill over. She walked off with her parasol hiding her face completely as tears began to form sorrowful rivers on her cheeks.

Alice ran into the trees and when she was sure her mother couldn't see her anymore she threw the parasol away and ran blindly, as her eyes were filled with tears. She suddenly tripped and cried into her arms not bothering to look up. She just cried laying belly down on the ground into her arms. Finally after what seemed like an hour on two she peeked over her salty wet arms and saw what looked like big rabbit hole.

Alice gasped. She had found it! She quickly scrambled to her feet and stepped to the edge hurriedly. She peered into it and saw nothing but darkness but she knew that much more was on the other side. She smiled to herself and more tears came as she remembered who would be the most excited to see her back in Underland.

Alice closed her eyes and jumped.

* * *

Eric looked around at the wonderful and brightly coloured happy grounds of Underland.

"If only," he sighed thinking back to his home in the same land but not in the same area.

Eric continued to wonder taking in the happiness of this part of Underland he had never seen. He was about to, again, place his foot down on the ground when something sharp pieced his shoe and pieced his skin with a small, "He-ya!"

"Ow!" Eric screeched. He fell down and saw the small dormouse threatening him with a pin sized sword.

"Who are you?" She yelled at him.

"What?" he said, then he gathered himself, "Sorry, dear mouse, my name is Eric."

The mouse blushed at his politeness and put her sword away still looking strong as ever, "Well, Eric, what's your business around here?"

"I…err…have no business. I ran away from home," he explained.

"Oh?" the dormouse looked a little intrigued, "where do you plan on going, Eric?"

"I don't know," he confessed, "I found myself in this…beautiful place. You're lucky to live here, mouse."

"My name's Mally," the mouse smiled, "Would you like to stay for tea?"

"T…" he thought for a moment, "I'm sure that's a letter in the alphabet."

"What? You've never heard of tea let alone tried any?" the dormouse was amazed, "Well, Tarrant will be amused. Come on dear, follow me!"

Eric rose from the floor and followed Mally to the Tea Party.

* * *

Alice closed the door to that room that confuses her every time and breathed in the air of her new home land. She looked out and saw the path she knew all too well. She started along that path trying to prepare what she wanted to say and what she felt she needed to say, not noticing a slight difference in her walk.

Alice neared the party and felt a huge rush of emotions flush over her as she already heard Thackery's mad laughter. She smiled and then stepped out into the open and saw them all.

Thackery sitting at the table pouring himself a cup of tea in a broken cup, Mally laughing at his stupidity, Chessur sitting to the side playing with his tea and the one she had waited a whole year to see – the Hatter.

And then Alice noticed a new face, one she had never ever seen before – anywhere, completely fresh. He sat next to the Hatter to his right sipping a cup of tea with his eyes closed, as if really tasting it. His black hair covered one of his eyes and stopped just before his shoulders. He wore a suit like the Hatter, but it was more colour coordinated than his. His suit was black with a hint of blue and it sparkled where the sun hit it. It seemed to Alice that even his skin was twinkling.

Alice neared the table still feeling a little invisible. She got to the end of the table and cleared her throat gingerly.

The Hatter who was staring off into space at a teapot on the table instantly glanced up and froze. His eyes widened.

"Alice?" he breathed.

Mally smiled, "Alice!"

"You're late for TEA!" Thackery shouted at her smiling and Alice smiled at him too.

"Alice, only a year and you've changed even more," Chessur said adding one of his signature smiles.

"I hope you're not saying I'm getting old," Alice commented playfully putting her hands on her hips.

She turned to look at the Hatter again. He was still frozen in shock. He couldn't believe his sweet Alice had come back again. He thought she was gone for good last time. He thought although she had said she would return that she would not be coming back.

Just then Chessur yawned, "I feel a nice cat nap is in need of. Mally would you like to come by mine and borrow that book you wanted to read?"

"Huh?" Mally seemed confused but then she smiled, "Oh, right. Yes, the book I wanted. Of course! Come, Eric, I'm looking after you until you get used to life here."

"Oh, Thackery, would you like to come too?" Chessur asked.

"I wouldn't step one foot in your direction, cat!" the hare shrieked crossing his arms and turning his nose up.

"Oh, but I have so much cake, I suppose I'll have to eat it all myself," Chessur said and Alice then understood what was going on.

"Cake? It was good to see you again, Alice!" Thackery hopped over to the others, "See you tomorrow for tea! Don't be late!"

"Of course not," Alice replied still looking at the speechless Hatter.

The others left and it was silent for about three minutes.

"Alice," Hatter repeated.

"Hatter," Alice copied smiling.

"You're really here, aren't you?" he asked looking scared.

Alice stopped smiling. She picked up her dress slightly and climbed the stool onto the table and walked to him making him stand up. When she got to him she smiled down at him and held her hand out for him to take. He looked at it for a moment with fear written all on his face.

"Alice…I'm scared," he confessed.

"I know," she told him, "but I don't see why."

"What if this is another dream?"

"Then it's the most realistic dream you've ever had," she smiled, "Take my hand. I'm really here."

The Hatter hesitated but then touched her cold hand with his trembling hand. He gasped when he felt her skin and Alice smiled knowing he believed now. He looked up into her eyes and felt the same emotions Alice had just felt wash over him twice. He reached up and lifted her down from the table.

"And for once we meet when you are the right size Alice," he laughed.

"Oh, hatter, I've missed you so much!" she laughed along with him some tears escaping.

The hatter saw the tears and suddenly felt saddened. He wiped them away and then he noticed how dirty her dress was.

"Alice, what happened to you, dear?" he asked very concerned.

"Oh, I fell but that doesn't matter," she sniffed.

"Sit down with me," he told her.

"I'm fine, Hatter, don't worry," she said a few sobs escaping.

"Call me Tarrant, Alice," he asked.

"Tarrant? You don't mind?"

"Of course not," he smiled at her and then he looked at the bottom of the dress trying to measure the amount of dirt on it, "Alice, can I ask you a strange but simple question?"

"Yes, of course," Alice laughed.

"Is the ground in your land red?" he said with some concern.

Alice looked down at her dress and saw red and brown mud all over it but the red wasn't mud - it was blood. Whilst up in her world she had not only tripped, but fallen and grazed her legs and then with jumping into the rabbit hole she received some more injuries when she got to the bottom - not only that but also broken her ankle. Only now, seeing the blood, could she feel the pain surrounding her body. Before, Alice had not noticed. The sadness of not finding the rabbit hole was too much to realise. Then finding it she was overwhelmed and extremely excited to have even noticed a slight bit of pain.

"Alice, _is_ the ground red?" he repeated.

Alice took a moment, a little scared and then replied, "No."

* * *

**Ooh! What will happen next? :O You'll have to read on and find out, and please don't be shy to review. I appreciate it when people take the time to read my stories ?**

**So, did Hazzard do well? :S Hope so!**

**Anyway, much appreciation for reading and wasting time on me! I feel loved! ^_^**

**Lv Lv Hazzard! x x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two is here! ^_^ Woopa! ¬_¬ Um…yeah.**

**Oh! Disclaimer just in case ;)**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING TO DO WITH ALICE IN WONDERLAND EXCEPT FOR ERIC ^_^ HE'S MINE, BABY!**

**Also! I'd like to say I am very sorry for putting this off for so long! I really am. I've had a hard time at home and I'm just getting better and I've got loads of stories going at once ^^" That was my own fault I accept, but still I am very sorry that I made you wait. Thank you x x**

* * *

Alice woke up the next day, in the Hatter's house. The wonderful man had decided to sleep on the couch in his living room just so Alice wouldn't have to.

Alice yawned and sat up. She moved the covers and saw the bottom of her bloody dress again; she then cringed as the smell came to her nose.

Knock! Knock!

"Alice?" came a voice, Alice loved, "Are you up, dear?"

Alice smiled at the door and replied, "Yes, I'm up Tarrant."

He came in and saw her sitting up in his bed and blushed slightly which made her giggle. "Here," he passed Alice a package.

"What is it?" Alice asked smiling as she took the box.

"It's a gift from Queen Mirana," he told her smiling too, "As soon as she heard you had returned she wanted to give you a welcome home gift."

"Home…" Alice repeated.

"You are staying aren't you? At least…for a little while?" he asked worried.

Alice looked up and saw his face. She saw the terror in his beautiful eyes and it broke her heart, "Of course I am."

"Oh," the Hatter sighed and sat on the edge of the bed relieved, "Thank god."

Alice then looked down at the parcel again and opened it slowly. She carefully unwrapped it bit by bit, trying not to rip the paper. Finally when she had unwrapped the gift she saw a lovely new light blue dress inside. Alice smiled to herself. The dress was beautiful and coincidentally needed.

Then the Hatter saw the dress and gasped, "Alice that will look stunning on you. You must wear it to the Tea Party."

"Okay!" Alice went to stand up but fell back again in pain, "OW!"

"Oh, Alice!" he cried rushing to her side. He got down on his knees and looked up at her, "Maybe you should stay here today."

"No!" Alice protested, "I want to come with you."

"But, Alice, how will you get there? You're in so much pain," he asked looking worried.

"Um...I'll...hop!" she said attempting to make him laugh. It only made him sigh and shake his head, "Please, Tarrant, I want to come with you!"

They starred into each others eyes Alice pleading him. He sighed and said, "I suppose I could carry you but on one condition!"

"Yes?" Alice asked.

"You would have to hold the basket, " he told her with a serious expression still on his face.

Alice laughed, "Of course!"

The Hatter smiled and then sighed happily. He rose to his feet and made for the door, "I will leave for you to change. You just call my name when you are ready."

"Okay," Alice agreed.

He shut the door and Alice rose to her feet carefully so as not to cause as much pain.

* * *

"So, you're saying you found this young lad just wondering around?" Chessur purred, walking beside Mally.

"Exactly what I'm saying," Mally confirmed. The two glanced back at the boy who was walking with them looking up at the sky smiling contently.

"I see," Chessur then smiled to himself, "It reminds me of some else, don't you think Mally?"

"Alice? Are you sure?" she asked him, "She was a little more worried and concerned about live here than Eric. He accepted it just like...just like that!"

"Dear mouse, will Mr. Hightop be there again today?" Eric asked.

Mally blushed at the nickname again, but didn't turn so he couldn't see, but it was a different story for Chessur who smiled broadly, "Of course he will."

"And what about Thackery?" Eric asked picking up a flower and twirling it in his hand.

"Yes, he shall be there too," Mally told him then she added, "And before you ask Alice will be there too."

"Alice?" Eric repeated.

Mally sighed as if bored, though she rather enjoyed the company of Eric. Chessur chuckled and said, "ah, yes we left before we could introduce you to the girl. She's quite amazing our Alice is."

"The young lady? She was very beautiful," Eric sighed then he let the flower fall from his hand and he added, "Though her dress was in tatters! wonder what happened to her."

"Yes, I wonder," Chessur agreed.

* * *

**Well, here is chapter 2 ^_^" Again I'm very sorry! I'm very sorry! I'M VERY VERY SORRY! I'll even say it in japanese - Gomenasai!**

**I'll try to be more quick ;) Gomen ne. So please review and comment and...stuff because I would love to know what you're thinking ^_^ Does anyone hate Eric? Does anyone like Eric? Are they unsure of Eric? Does anyone have any ideas that I may weave into the story. That would help very much so ^_^**

**Ja ne!**

**Lv, Lv Hazzard x x ^_^**


	3. Chapter 3

**It's two days later and Chapter 3 is up too! ^_~**

**Just so you know I am an AliceXTarrant fangirl but er…I wanted to make a story with my character and so a little AliceXOC is in need of and Eric is just itching to finally meet her so let's get on shall we? :)**

**Disclaimer - I do not own a thing (Nudda) except for Eric ^_~**

* * *

Thackery was setting up the table with Mally when Chessur noticed Tarrant and Alice approaching. He chuckled at the sight but the Hatter heard him and glared at him. He sat Alice down in the chair that was to the left of his chair at the head of the table. Alice then passed the basket to him and he smiled to her.

He then began to set up the table, "Poor Alice can not walk so I had to carry her. But of course I didn't mind."

"Why didn't you keep her at home then?" Chessur asked smiling.

Tarrant sighed, "She wouldn't stay."

"I am still here you know," Alice laughed.

"Of course you are!" the Hatter cried smiling happily to her, "That's the reason I'm so happy today."

He then dropped the basket on the floor and sat down and everyone took their seats too. Alice looked round the table and smiled to all her friends then her eyes lay on the boy she saw yesterday. He sat down opposite and his eyes were closed again. His eyes then opened and Alice saw the sapphire left and the ruby right, but when he realised Alice was staring at him he became scared and looked down at a cup in his hands.

"Oh!" the Hatter cried when he saw Eric jolt away slightly, "You two haven't been introduced yet! Alice, this is Eric he appeared yesterday like magic."

"Actually, I just walked through the forest," Eric mumbled not looking up, Alice giggled.

"And he has decided to stay with us like you!" he then turned to Eric and continued, "And Eric this is Alice. She is our champion."

Eric's eyes widened and he looked up, "You're the one everyone talks about?"

"What?" Alice sounded shocked. She looked to the Hatter who smiled and nodded. She sighed, "It appears so."

"I see," Eric said looking back down at his cup. He cleared his throat and stood up. He then bowed closing his eyes again, "Miss Alice it is nice to meet you."

Alice didn't know what to do; no one had ever greeted her like that. She looked to the Hatter who then chuckled, "Ah, what a gentleman. Alice?"

"Err…" Alice stood up and then curtsied before continuing, "It's nice to meet you too, Eric."

Eric straightened up and looked to Alice's face. Alice felt her breathe get caught in her throat. Something about the way he looked at her made her scared? She was sure what he did but the moment he looked down again and sat back in his chair the odd feeling stopped. Alice sat back down in her chair and then Tarrant held a teapot in front of her blocking Eric (Ooh! Did he do that on purpose?).

"Tea, Alice?" he asked.

Alice smiled, "Of course, Tarrant!"

His face it up as she passed him her cup and he happily poured the drink. As he did so Alice noticed that Eric already had his tea cup with him and he had his eyes closed yet again. The first time she saw him yesterday he looked like he was really enjoying his cup of tea and now today he looked exactly the same. She smiled and then looked to Tarrant again and realised he was looking at Eric too.

Does the Hatter wonder the same as me? Alice thought. But then again why would the Hatter question about anything other than his little riddle that he asked every now and then. Anything and everything strange and odd for Alice was always something normal for the Hatter and the other way round too.

Alice put her hand on the Tarrant's and when he shot his head round almost scared he saw Alice smiling at him and his heart melted. He smiled back and then held hand whilst lifting his tea cup with the other.

* * *

**Well um...what do you think? Review please! ^_^"**

**Lv, Lv Hazzard x x ^_^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey-o! ^_^**

**Well, um, Eric met Alice and he was a little scared and a little worried but that's just his personality…or one of them :D Hee!**

**Read on my dear ones!**

**Disclaimer – Alice in Wonderland has nothing to do with me I just own Eric since he's my little character ^_~**

* * *

Mally and Chessur were already out of sight, hidden by the many colours of the forest, but Eric hung back. While Tarrant and Thackery were speaking he took the opportunity to talk to Alice alone.

He walked toward her and stopped by the side of her chair, not looking to her face when he addressed her, which he would normally do but he found Alice hard to talk to, "Miss. Alice, may I speak with you for a few moments please?"

Alice looked up and took a moment or two before she replied, "Yes, of course."

He then nodded and walked away. Alice was confused for a moment then she stood up and watched him stop just ten feet away. He turned to face her but his head was still hung looking toward the floor. Alice hesitated but then followed him and stopped just in front.

"Is there something wrong?" Alice asked.

"Um…no nothing…wrong," he smirked, "Well, maybe a little…heh!"

Alice watched him carefully now. He was becoming a little scary but then that was because he was acting strangely – but that was a normal thing in Underland. Alice could not see his eyes as his head was still hung and his messy hair was covering half of his face, but she could still see the grin – a wide Chessur grin.

"Eric, what is it that's troubling you?" Alice didn't know why but she felt the need to comfort him and reached out a hand but it was pulled back by another. She looked back and saw it was Tarrant, who shook his head meaning 'Don't'.

Alice looked back to Eric and then back to Tarrant not knowing what to do.

Eric whimpered – still grinning. Alice held her breathe as the sound was heart breaking and the sight of a young man crying felt just as bad maybe worse, "Do you think you could help me? Please…I'm sorry. I am ashamed of myself…for what I have done but…I had no other choice…I had no hope until I found you…please, please, please help me…please."

Eric sank to the ground his face in his hands. Thackery was still tidying up in the background but because the awkwardness of the situation once he had packed up he unpacked again to start over and keep busy. Alice pulled her hand out of the Hatter grip much to his disliking and got down to sit on her knees. She leant forward and used a hand to pull Eric's hands away from his face. Eric let her but he still didn't look at her, he even closed his eyes. Alice sighed and looked up at Tarrant wondering what could be wrong. Tarrant did nothing he just stood there looking at Eric – no – glaring. Alice saw the colour of his eyes had changed and became confused but she was currently, more concerned about Eric as he was a boy maybe a year or two older than her and he was reduced to tears in front of her.

"I'm sorry," Eric apologised, his voice breaking mid sentence. He cleared his throat and straightened his blazer, "Miss. Alice I would like to talk to you but obviously," he said glancing at Tarrant and then back to the floor, "now, is not the time."

"Mm," she glared at Tarrant as he had no reason to be annoyed with Eric. Eric had done nothing.

The Hatter was shaken by this. His Alice showed a trait of anger – toward him!

"I could talk with you tomorrow?" Alice suggested turning back to Eric her face full of concern.

Eric then looked into her eyes and quickly looked away again, "I suppose."

"Okay then," Alice said smiling to him, he saw the smile out the corner of his eye but he was still not in a neutral state of mind.

Alice stood then helped Eric up as well but only as a hand on his back for comfort.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered feeling the emotions again, "I feel so ashamed."

"You shouldn't be ashamed to cry, Eric," Alice told him but he shook his head.

He then bowed to Alice and then to the Hatter, "I'm very sorry sir. I made a fool of myself and I won't show up tomorrow."

SLAP!

Alice gasped as Tarrant's hand went across the side of Eric's face, "Get a grip of your self boy! Did you not hear what my dear Alice just said? You have shed a tear but why should that matter? Men never cry but True Men are not afraid to show it! Now, you obviously have reasons for this and you will be explaining those reasons tomorrow for Alice! But never tell me that you will start attending and the next day, tell me you won't be returning! I hate that when it happens! It has broken my heart twice already by someone else and even if we have nothing more than acquaintanceship currently then it doesn't matter! I still do not want you to just leave otherwise you lied! And I don't like liars they make me so mad-"

"Hatter," Alice said.

"Just don't leave!" he shouted and turned away from the two and joined Thackery again who had just finished resetting the table for the fourth time.

Alice turned to Eric, who was still staring at a tree across the space stunned, holding his pink cheek.

"Eric the Hatter – Tarrant – is right. You shouldn't leave because we saw you crying," Alice put a hand on his shoulder but he jolted away scared by the touch.

"It's…it's not exactly because of the weeping," Eric whispered.

"Well, then…what is it?" Alice asked.

"I have to go…" Eric said walking off into the trees.

Alice sighed and looked at the ground wondering what all that could have meant. He was ashamed of something that was hopeless without Alice? What? But it didn't really matter as, of course, he said that he would explain to Alice tomorrow but then the thought sprang to mind that the Hatter was being a little unfair to Eric. What was that all about?

* * *

**If you want you can take a wild guess as to why the Hatter has now taken a disliking toward the boy. I say poor Eric but then I aready know everything about him :o ... :D Hee!**

**WOULD LIKE A FEW MORE REVIEWS BEFORE NEXT CHAPTER ;) Oh, and please be nice to Eric, he's in the back room... trying not to cry... after reading some reviews. I told him they're not as bad as they could be, but he's still finding it hard... I guess it's just the breakdown he has in one of the future chapters - SHH! Opps! ^^"**

**^_^ R & R (Whatever that means)**

**Lv, Lv Hazzard x x ^_^**


	5. Chapter 5

**HIYA!**

**I think Eric has just about calmed down. Still, a little teary though.**

**Anyway, I found out a few meanings for R & R two are in a review that TARRANT HiTOPP wrote me (thank you) and I also read somewhere else it could mean read and review ^_^ I like the Rock and Roll one though :) Hee! Oh, and must say sorry for taking soooo long! Thank you for being patient ^_~**

* * *

Early the next morning, just a short while after Alice and the Hatter had eaten breakfast there was a knock at the door. As Alice could barely walk on smooth ground, let alone go down stairs to the door, Tarrant went to answer it.

They had spent the whole day together so far and Alice had enjoyed his company but when she mentioned the fact about his behaviour yesterday he just apologised and said he hadn't realised – but Alice knew this was a lie.

* * *

Eric approached the door and hesitated before knocking shyly. He waited quite sheepishly, already blushing from the embarrassment as he was remembering of yesterday's ordeal. But of course he had his reasons which would be cleared up very soon.

The door opened a slight crack and Eric waited until he was spoken to. A moments later the door opened fully and Eric glanced up briefly to see the Hatter smiling broadly at him.

"Eric, do come in," he motioned for Eric to enter his house.

"Good morning sir," Eric greeted him as he slid into the house cautiously, "I have come to see –"

"Alice? I thought you may have," the Hatter interrupted.

Eric looked over to him his back was turn as he shut the door, but his voice still sounded content. Then Tarrant looked over and Eric quickly darted his eyes back to the floor.

"She's upstairs in her room, well, my room but you see I haven't decorated the spare room for Alice yet. I'm thinking of making it a complete Alice room, just for Alice. Poor Thackery won't be able to stay over every now then anymore. I suppose if he really wanted to he could sleep on the couch like I have been for the past few weeks – but knowing him he'd rather sleep on the floor than that smelly old thing and I just wouldn't allow him or anyone else for that matter to sleep on the ground! It's preposterous! That could lead to all sorts of problems. Backaches…well all sorts of problems. I just wouldn't want anyone to receive pain from simply staying in my company. I do love it when a friend wants to spend more time with you, especially Alice; she is our champion after all. And –"

"Tarrant!" Alice called from upstairs.

Eric sighed and closed his eyes.

Alice, he thought, please can you help me?

"Yes, Alice, my dear?" Tarrant called back as he half ran up the stairs to her.

Eric waited downstairs working out everything he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. When he finally figured it all out Alice arrived downstairs, in the Hatter's arms, smiling – and he completely forgot the plan.

* * *

Alice and Eric were sat at a small tea table outside Tarrant's house. The Hatter had left them alone to talk together and gone to the tea party as usual. As Alice sipped her tea Eric breathed in and out deeply so as not to lose control quite so easily as yesterday.

"Miss. Alice," he started. Alice set her cup down on the table and turned to face him encouraging him to continue. He swallowed and carried on, "I am from a part of Underland known as MoonCamp. It got its name many, many years ago. Shall I elaborate?"

"Oh please do," Alice nodded. She loved learning about Underland, and MoonCamp had never risen in any of the conversation she had had with anyone who lived here.

"As you should already know there are many crazy, unlikely things here in Underland, but years ago they were separated into two types, two groups," he paused and took a breather, and then continued, "First the Safe type. Every creature in this part of Underland can be deadly and life threatening but they are safe. The second type are the Uncontrollable. They are also deadly and life threatening but unlike the safe they cannot control their actions, if they were overwhelmed by their emotions.

Like I said, years ago they were separated so that the Safe could be…safe and the Uncontrollable could only harm themselves."

"That's not fair," Alice commented.

"No, it's not but that is how it went. The Safe were placed here and the Uncontrollable were imprisoned, so to speak, in MoonCamp," Eric lifted his cup and drank from it. Alice's attention not straying for a moment, keeping her eyes on him like a hawk and waiting patiently for him to carry on, "The man who watched over the Uncontrollable was called Rayne Moon and he was captain of that camp because he was strong and powerful and…extremely dangerous to mess with. Therefore it was named Moon's camp which basically became MoonCamp."

"Ah, I see," Alice said, and then she placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her entwined hands, "Continue."

Eric sighed but out of fear not annoyance, "As I told you, I come from MoonCamp –"

Alice cut him off asking, "Are you an Uncontrollable?"

"No – well – yes – well – kind of – I suppose I am, but I've never lost complete control of myself. I only have minor breakdowns like humans," Alice raised an eyebrow at the word minor and Eric's head ducked when he saw it; "There are five stages to the MoonCamp syndrome, what you saw yesterday wasn't even no. one."

Alice giggled and then shook her head, "Okay, I'm sorry, carry on."

"I've been told you were the one who slayed the Jabberwocky and well…it was one of the MoonCamp prisoners. It was one of the oldest, close to the time when the camps came about. The point I want you to know is that with every MoonCamp prisoner there is a connection – none of us know why or even how it exists but it does. If this connection is ever disrupted unnaturally…then stage five is touchable for a short amount of time. What I mean is, while the invisible connection link repairs itself some of the MoonCamper's become more like the Uncontrollable ancestors long ago and that means that stage five can be easily reached."

Alice slowly but surely understood what he was getting at, "Oh my god…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to –"

"No, I understand! It's fine! Please, do not blame yourself. It was the Jabberwocky's fault after all," Eric said, his eyes looking so scared and worried that Alice was blaming herself.

"So, how long do you think it will last and how can I help you?" Alice asked placing a hand on his shoulder. Eric froze at her touch and Alice noticed his breathing becoming sharper and deep, "Eric…I want to help you."

Eric looked up at her and she saw the sorrow in his eyes and all the hope that wanted to jump out but was kept at bay, "You do?"

"Of course I do, I caused this problem. I want to resolve it," Alice told him.

"No, Alice, you didn't do this," he repeated, looking away again. He shifted his shoulders uncomfortably attempting to slide out from under Alice's hand which she took back a moment later, "But I would adore your help at this current time for you see…"

Alice leaned in curious as to what he felt so hard to speak.

"I'm ashamed to say I have abandoned my sister," he whispered. A tear slid from his eye which he wiped away hastily, with an already shaky hand, "I didn't want to…but things in the village started to get a bit…crazy and when we were running away, she got stuck and…she pushed me in the direction we planned to escape…"

"She pushed you? What do you mean?" Alice asked softly.

"She's dumb, she can't actually tell me anything – but I knew what she meant!" he cried starting to become panicked.

Alice scooted her chair closed to Eric, which like usual he found slightly personal, but he knew she was trying to help so he tried to dismiss the action. Alice placed a hand on his back, which triggered Eric to draw a sharp breathe.

"Eric, calm down," Alice sighed slightly, "Now, how canI help you?"

"There's...there's a temple in MoonCamp. And our...god, so to speak, keeps a treasure safe within the heart of his tomb. It's fairly straight forward...as...as you walk in it's there, straight in front of you," he paused.

"But?" Alice asked.

"But...there's another beast...another...uncontrollable," Eric finished slowly.

"I see," Alice nodded, taking it all in and working it all out. After a moment or two, she stood abruptly and stuck an offering hand out in front of his face, "Well, Mr Eric, Miss Alice happily accepts your request for help!"

Eric starred at her hand, wonder filled his face and Alice found it so sweet to watch. He gazed up at her face but then stood up ignoring her hand and wrapping his strong arms around her petite body. Alice giggled but as she heard the quiet sobs escaping Eric she just smiled smoothing his back gently. Eric was exceptionally happy.

Alice is kind, Alice is sweet, Alice is beautiful.

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**Well, this explains a bit about him. Please ease up on him, he started crying again but this time there's no reason for it at all.**

**AGAIN - I'm so sorry for taking so long! Please forgive me ^_^**

**Lv Lv, Hazzard x x ^_^**


	6. Chapter 6

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**Okay...how long has it been? ^^"**

**SO SORRY! I didn't mean for it to take so long but I've had a lot of problems to deal with, a lot of school work to deal with and a lot of stories to deal with - so, I dealt with it ^_^. But, yes, I am very sorry this chapter took so long (it's crappy anyway *sob*)**

**Enjoy (not likely ¬_¬ *sob*) ROCK'N'ROLL! ^_^**

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"Well, I don't need your permission anyway!" Alice cried, folding her arms like a spoilt child, "You can't stop me!"

"No, Alice, you don't need my permission but I assure you I can stop you," Tarrant said as he paced the room, in front of Alice, who was sat on the sofa, "And I do believe your broken ankle will be in my favour at this moment in time. How do you expect to do anything, as reckless as this, in your condition?"

"I was told that I was to slay a terrible beast called the Jabberwocky about three days before I did! But I slayed the damn thing all the same and now everyone in the safe part of Underland is really, truly safe!" Alice screamed at him.

"What did you say?" the Hatter asked stopping in his tracks. He looked to her. Horror evident in his face, "_Safe_?"

"Yes, safe!" Alice repeated nodding, "And why wasn't I told about MoonCamp? I really think someone should have said about it. I mean with all that's happened with me and the Jabberwocky. I should have been warned but I wasn't and all those poor MoonCampers have been going completely and utterly bonkers while I was making plans on trading with China! I could have done something!"

"Alice!" the Hatter said quietly but sharply, he was breathing heavily, "How do you know about that cursed land?"

"Cursed land?" Alice repeated confused.

"Alice!" He snapped, making her jump.

"Um, E-Eric told me," she confessed quietly.

He growled to himself and grumbled, "I knew something was different about that boy!"

"But Hatter, Eric told me about the Uncontrollables and about Rayne Moon and MoonCamp. He told me that he –," Tarrant cut her off finishing the sentence.

"Was an uncontrollable? He should have just told us from the start!" he hissed, "He is not to be trusted!"

"What?" Alice cried, not quite fully understanding.

"No, Alice! We cannot trust the unsafe. They are uncontrollable and because of that they are most likely to do evil deeds. He probably just wants to lure you into a trap and –"

"Hatter! Eric wants me to help him, his people, his sister! He told me that there was a certain Jade stone in the temple there and all I had to do was throw it into the lava well and –"

"The temple?" Tarrant erupted, "Of course! Alice you must not trust the boy! He is tricking you! He's planning on sacrificing you – 'the champion of the safe and slayer of the uncontrollable' – to the uncontrollable God! I'm sure of it!"

"Hatter…why are you being like this?" Alice asked.

"Why can't you see behind the lies?" he shouted back.

"Why can't you just give him a chance, Hatter?" Alice screamed, standing up rejecting the slight urge to groan in pain, from the action.

"Why are you calling me Hatter?" he thundered in her face, scaring her.

Alice looked up into his eyes feeling her lips tremble as her eyes began to water. She sobbed and fell back into the seat hunching over and covering her face with her hands. She mumbled, "Why are you being so scary?"

Tarrant then gasped and his eyes changed back to their normal green colour. He sank into the seat beside her and gingerly put an arm, awkwardly at first, around her shoulders. Though he was certain that she would reject the affectionate comfort he still gently smoothed her back as she cried into her hands. But to his surprise she, instead of moving away, moved closer.

A few moments passed and Alice slowly calmed down. She then sighed as she wiped away a few tears with the back of her hand. She looked up at the Hatter and he sadly smiled to her in a reassuring sort of way.

They both sat in silence, staring at each other with feelings they didn't quite understand themselves. After a minute or two, they both began leaning in slowly and just when their faces were inches apart, Alice pulled back and placed her hands over her face again,

"I just wish I could help them!"

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**Okay, Okay. I know it's not quite worth waiting for but I'll try and update more regularly. Sorry about all this ^^"**

**Remember to Review!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	7. Chapter 7

**Right then, this is Chapter 7 and I tried to make it longer than Chapter 6 (which it is ;D). I hope the story is not getting too confusing. I say this alot in my other stories but I always feel the need to - just in case - if you have any questions or are uncertain about something please ask away in a review or PM me. I will get back to you, promise - unless! it gives away the storyline ;) and we wouldn't want that now would we ^_~**

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The table was as normal. Thackery throwing cups around, Mally giggling and chuckling, Cheshire playing with his tea looking bored and Eric sitting silently, eyes closed enjoying his tea.

The Hatter approached the table with a basket in hand as he did every day and sat in his seat at the table's end.

Eric opened his eyes wanting to greet, the wonderful Alice but realised she was not present today, it was just Mr. Hightopp – and he seemed on edge.

"Good day, Sir," Eric greeted him shutting his eyes again.

"Eric," Tarrant said. Eric was now certain something was wrong. The tone in the Hatter's voice definitely implied that he was angry and because he didn't properly return the greeting he wondered if it were his fault.

He opened his eyes once again and looked down at his cup sensing watchful eyes from all around. He was not the only one who had noticed.

There was an awkward silence, as everyone's eyes fell upon Eric, the boy who Tarrant was so blatantly glaring at.

After what felt like an hour or two, Eric erupted, "What?"

"Huh?" Mally gasped, they had never heard his voice so angry.

"Why are you staring at me? Miss. Alice told you, didn't she?" he shouted turning his different coloured eyes on the Hatter.

The Hatter then looked infuriated and thundered back, "And what if she did? Is that wrong of her?"

"No!" Eric shouted rising to his feet, "Of course it's not! What _is _wrong, however, is why you can't see me like any other safe Underlandian!" (**A/N – I don't know if that's what they are really called or not ^^" Sorry**).

"But you're not safe! You're 'Uncontrollable'!" Tarrant raged. Everyone at the table gasped learning the new information.

"Well, I'll take my leave here," Cheshire purred leaving his wide awkward grin a second behind after he disappeared into thin air.

Mally caught Eric's eye. It almost hurt him to see her looking at him terrified.

"You…You deceiving hazardous MoonCamper!" Mally screamed at him. She turned and ran off into the trees, followed by Thackery who just turned his nose up at the boy with a 'Humph!'.

Eric growled from the back of his throat turning his eyes back to Mr. Hightopp who was glaring intently at the boy.

"Why?" Eric asked simply.

"What? Why what?" Tarrant asked angrily.

"Why must I be punished for my parent's crime? It was not me. I have never been past no.1 let alone no.5!" he stated his voice growing in volume slightly, but not enough to be shouting again.

"Ah, yes! But the Syndrome still thrives through your veins! In all of you!" Tarrant hissed, "Do you know why I refused to have Alice join us today? Well, I know what you're doing!"

"What? What I'm doing?" Eric repeated and then shouted, "I'm trying to repair the broken link! I'm trying to regain some sort of secure station for my people!"

"No! I know what you are doing! You do not fool me, dangerous Unsafe!" Tarrant cried.

"I am not an Unsafe!" Eric screamed shutting his eyes tight and clenching his fists angrily. Tarrant gasped and backed up slowly as a faint glow began to appear around Eric's body.

"Whether you like it or not, you were born an uncontrollable. How dare you wander this far from your prison? Did you even realise that you crossed the border?" the Hatter continued the argument quietly.

"There is not border!" Eric shrieked.

"Yes, there is! Queen Mirana placed it there herself, you unstable child!" the Hatter growled. He paused but then carried on explaining, "I knew there was something else about you. I just couldn't put my finger on it."

"If you knew I was a risk why allow me to even look at Alice?" Eric cried opening his eyes. An impossible surge of energy, seemingly from no where, rippled away from him knocking Tarrant off of his feet, "If I am so perilous why even let me use her name?"

"Because I didn't know!" Tarrant shouted, as he got back up to his feet, "I wasn't certain of your kind! If I were wrong it would be terrible to have you treated in that way!"

"Oh! But because I'm an Uncontrollable then it's fine to treat me in this way, is it? It's fine to treat me like an alien, is it?" Eric roared, "I AM NOT SO DIFFERENT FROM YOU!"

Tarrant Hightopp took that as his warning to get back to Alice quickly. He turned and dashed back home only now realising the danger he had caused, all himself.

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He slammed the door behind him and hunched over gasping for breathe. He had run so fast but he was not out of the woods yet.

"Tarrant?" Alice shuffled as best she could into the hallway and looked at him with a questioning gaze, "Is something wrong? You're back awfully early."

"Well, I was missing you a little too much. Let us go for a walk," he suggested straightening up trying to look like he was fine.

Alice just sighed and placed her hands on her hips, "First of all I'm not aloud to fight because of my _'condition' _and now you want to go for a walk? You're back early too! What's going on? What happened?"

Tarrant sighed heavily and took her hands in his, "Alice please, we're not safe here we need to –"

"Safe? Eric! What happened? Did you talk to-what did you-is he alright?" Alice stuttered suddenly realising. They heard the wind pick up speed from the small open window next to the door and the sun suddenly dimmed being smothered by black clouds.

Alice limped over to the door and looked out of the window.

She screamed. He was there, standing just outside the door looking at her. But he wasn't looking at her as Eric. His eyes were faded and you could barely see their original colour or even the pupil for that matter. His hair stuck out in more random places than usual and his entire being was enveloped in a royal blue glowing mist. He wasn't Eric now.

Alice turned to the Hatter terrified, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?"

"I didn't do anything!" Tarrant lied as he rushed over to Alice and scooped her up into his arms and sprinted to the back door and out.

"Hatter!" she hissed.

"Okay, I may have said a few…racist comments," he confessed, "and I may have accused him…but that still stands! I am sure he is scheming against you! I am sure you are _'Wanted' _in MoonCamp!"

But although the Hatter tried to explain, Alice was listening properly. She was too busy watching the unfamiliar pursuer hot on their tail.

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**Okay, is this Chapter long enough? :)**

**This is the first bit of action in the story and it sucked in my opinion ^^" Haha! But I'm trying to update a little more quickly ;)**

**Please review, I need to know what you think ^_^ I NEED to know :D**

**ROCK'N'ROLL!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, this chapter is extremely confusing if you can't calculate things very well - and I'm not talking about maths xD**

**Right, what I mean is, if you have a hard time using your imagination you'll have some trouble understandng what goes on in this chapter. I'll explain best I can at the end, though ^_^ - but if you still don't see it review or PM ;)**

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Tarrant had been running for a while now and was starting to get tired but he wouldn't let Eric get her. He wouldn't put Alice in danger. Speaking of Eric, maybe running into the forest behind the house wasn't such a good idea, as he had disappeared out of sight into the green – where was he?

It doesn't matter! The Hatter told himself, just keep running!

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Eric was in a field he had never been before in his life. The long wild grass was white, just white, and the sky was black, just black.

"Where am I?" he asked the strange land, "I am not in Underland, am I? Where is this place?"

He got no response from anyone. It seemed he was alone…until he heard movement of grass crunching behind him. He whipped his head round and saw Rosary…his sister.

He gasped.

She was just standing there, smiling up at him, like she used to. He looked into her different coloured eyes – the same as his – and threw his arms around her.

"Rosary! You're okay!" he cried into her shoulder, he then pulled back and asked, "Where are we?"

"We're not okay," she replied.

He froze. Did she…?

"You…Rose…you found your voice?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No. We're not okay, Eric. We're unstable."

"What? What do you mean?" he asked seriously confused.

"Temple Guardian Fearah told me…before the Guardian beast attacked him," she cringed but carried on, "that if we pass no. 2 of the Syndrome we lose ourselves in Daze."

"In a daze?" he repeated.

"No," she slightly giggled, "In Daze. It's what he called this place. Daze."

"But you're speaking. You can't use your voice…can you?" he said scratching his head confusedly.

"You're right, I can't. But that is in my physical form. Apparently my spiritual form is as healthy as it gets," she smiled up at him reassuringly, "Not that I was ill but I can speak here which is nice, in a way, to know that I am not as dependant dead."

"Dead?" he repeated scared now, "We're dead?"

"Not exactly," she explained, "True we are bodyless and we are in some sort of dimension separate from our own but as far as the MoonCamper goes we have the ability to return to our shells once they have stablized...unless they have been brutally damaged in our absense."

There was a silence as Eric tried to comprehend everything. Then he realised something and gasped making Rosary jump slightly.

"Oh no! God no!" he groaned covering his face with his hands.

"Dear brother, what's wrong?" Rosary asked.

"I'm unstable! I've reached Stage 2!" he cried dropping his hands, devastation clearly on his face, "Alice will be in danger!"

"Alice?" Rosary repeated, with a hint of jealously and some curiosity.

"Oh, Rosary, she's the one. She the one who can save us all!" he told her holding his sisters cold petite hands, "She's their Champion. She is the one that slayed the Jabberwocky and she is the one who can remove this curse on our beings."

"So, she's the murderer who caused this?" Rosary asked summing it up.

"Well…in a way…she did murder him. But this wasn't her fault! It was the Jabberwocky himself!" Eric told her sternly before she started blaming people, "But now she is in danger…of me! And all because of the prejudice of Mr. Hightopp!"

There was another moment of silence. Then Eric realised yet another thing that struck him. His eyes slowly crept toward his sister. She was still staring at him.

"Rosary…why are you here?" he asked. She dropped her eyes to the ground and sighed. He felt a pang in his chest – she was only fourteen – and cuddled her reassuringly – like he used to when she cried at night from the scary nightmares.

"But," she whispered to him, tears starting to escape her eyes, "it is not _why_ I am here that saddens me…it is _how long_ I have been and will be here."

"It's okay, you'll be fine," Eric reassured her, "We both will. Okay? Alice will save us! I promise you she will!"

"I'm scared," Rosary whispered.

"I know," he hushed, "So am I."

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**Summary of Chapter 8 -**

**Alice and Tarrant are still running away. Eric's where abouts is unknown. We learn that Eric's soul - the part of him that makes him _him _- is lost in a place the MoonCamper's call Daze. We meet Eric's sister, Rosary, and quickly discover she is also lost in Daze.**

**- NOW THE CONFUSING PART -**

**In the last chapter - when Eric goes a little coo-coo - Eric has reached no.2.5 of the MoonCamp Syndrome (Yes I've worked it all out). Basically, when a MoonCamper reaches no. 2 they start to lose control of themselves and of course that means they lose themselves. Now their souls don't die but they leave the body and end up in Daze. The same sort of thing happens to the body - it doesn't die but it tries to lose all of the unstable energy that has somehow been made (with Eric it would be the anger that Tarrant provoked). Until, Eric's body has relieved itself of the unstability he can not leave Daze - and neither can Rosary until her own body does the same (though, she probably wouldn't want to go back to MoonCamp just yet).**

**ANYWAY! Remember to Review! ROCK'N'ROLL!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh. My. God! Longest Writer's Block ever! (Sorry again guys! Sorry)**

**So last time Tarrant and Alice were running away from Eric or, rather, his body - DUN, DUN, DUUUUNNN! ^_^ Hee! We also found out that Eric's spirit, mind, soul is in a place named Daze where he cannot control his unstable body until it is safe enough to enhabit again. :)**

**Chapter 9! = the story continues ^_^**

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It had been three weeks since Alice and Tarrant had arrived at Mirana's palace in search of safety. Three weeks since Alice had at least some time to herself without Tarrant constantly staying in her company out of fear she would suddenly disappear. Three weeks since Alice had last seen Eric. Three weeks of nightmares and horrific day dreams that scared her half to death. Three weeks to let her ankle heal incredibly fast with the help of one of the White Queen many remarkable, yet at the same time disgusting, potions.

She _had_ to do something – she just _had_ to…but how could she? She was constantly being watched – being monitored. Every movement she made registered on his mind. Yes, he was over-reacting but that is sometimes what the mad do.

The only time she had privacy was when she went to the bathroom, in which he waited outside, got dressed, in which again he waited outside, and slept, and he was literally sleeping on the loveseats _outside_ of her room in the corridor. His own room was just next door but he decided that he would sleep as close to her as appropriately possible – just in case!

Tonight she had gone to bed early – of course – to have at least some privacy today. Alice sat by the window and stared out into the night sky. She sighed and then looked out to the forest in front of the palace.

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"What are you doing?" Rosary asked looking down at her brother.

Eric had been sat cross-legged in the black and white field of Daze for at least an hour now with his eyes closed and his hands resting gently on his knees.

"I am concentrating," he told her.

She kneeled down beside him and said, "Well then, I'm sorry to bother you, brother, but why? What for? Concentrating on what?"

Eric sighed and opened his eyes, "I'm testing a theory I have. Maybe if I concentrate hard enough I'll be able to – if only for a second – return to my body."

"Oh, I see! Marvellous idea!" she chimed smiling merrily, "Has it worked yet?"

He frowned then and looked down at the grass in front of him, "No…b-but I haven't tried hard enough! I need to try and concentrate just a little more! I was almost there – I'm sure!"

"Brother, you shouldn't exhaust yourself. You look sleepy, you should rest," Rosary advised.

"No, I have to keep trying!" Eric told her sternly with determination. He closed his eyes again before adding finally, "I need to stop myself from harming Alice."

Rosary looked slightly hurt, then angry. She stood abruptly and swiftly moved away. Eric, though, did not shift in his position.

_Alice, I'm trying for you. I am. I am. I'm trying to get to you. Where are you?_

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Alice was still sat by the window staring out over the forest in front of the palace.

Wait! What was that?

Alice gasped and jumped up to standing. She watched amazed as trees began falling down in a row, like a set of dominos heading toward the grounds. When then last tree that reached the clearing, about ten feet from the castle wall, fell down Eric walked out in to the opening. The mist was still clouding his presence.

"Eric," Alice breathed and just at that moment he stopped in his tracks. His head slowly and eerily looked up at her. She froze.

_How did he know I was watching him? How did he know which window I was at? Did he even know I was there? Was it just a coincidence?_

Suddenly there was a rapid and urgent rapping on her door. "Alice? Alice? Wake up and open the door, Alice! Quickly!"

Alice's expression screwed up unhappily – _that_ was the only privacy she was aloud today? _Great_! And it only seemed like it was going to get a whole lot worse!

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**Well then, I'll try (try, try, try) to get Chap 10 up a little more quicker ;)**

**Read, Review, Rock'n'Roll! ^_^**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	10. Chapter 10

**Okeey! Dokeey! I don't really have any author's notes today...so...enjoy the read ^_^**

**Oh! Here's one! Eric's aura mist has changed colour to purple now :) And it will continue changing colour. You will learn why in another later chapter. Until then, you can guess if you like ;D**

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"Alice? Alice! Open the door! Alice, please!"

Alice swung the door open feeling very irritated. The Hatter almost fell into the room.

"What the hell are you doing?" she cried frowning. Of course she knew why he was panicking but she didn't want him to know that she had still been awake.

"We must leave the palace! The boy has sensed you out! He's found you!" Tarrant shouted grabbing her shoulders.

"_Sensed _me out? What does that mean?" Alice asked confused.

Tarrant sighed heavily. _This is serious! Why is she always so curious!_ "The MoonCampers have many advantages over us which of course adds to the danger they possess! One of these advantages is the ability to feel another's presence – and everyone has at least one difference in their presence making them unique and easier to distinguish from one another! Basically, as we had wasted a few days with him he had come to recognise our different auras and since he had an _interest_ in you he familiarised _him_-self with _your_-self. Of course, he must also have registered my own being as I am in your company quite often."

"Quite often? All the bloody time, you mean!" Alice cried. There was a pause, he looked hurt and Alice immediately regretted saying that. She sighed and said, "I'm sorry, I just haven't been feeling…myself lately."

"Your muchness?" he asked and Alice could even hear the sadness in his voice.

"I guess," Alice shrugged under his hands. She looked into his eyes and then walked into his arms wrapping her own around him and whispered just loud enough, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset you."

He waited shocked at first, wondering if this was another dream, but then wrapped an arm around her small waist and with the other gently placed his hand on the back of her head holding her close to him.

Just then there was an explosive crash and, as a woman's scream silenced, the double doors, down the other end of the corridor, blasted opened and in the centre of the archway was Eric's purple clouded figure.

"Eric!" Alice gasped, seeing just how awful he looked and thinking how only a few weeks ago he was quite a good looking young man. She whispered, more so to herself, "Oh, what's happened to you?"

Tarrant looked down at her. _She's amazing! Staring at danger and still thinking of it as a person with feeling…was I wrong to act so – _being lost in thought the Hatter hadn't realised Alice slip out of his grip and edge carefully toward the boy, while the boy himself had literally limped toward her, dragging a seemingly dead leg behind him.

"Oh, Eric, what's going on? Are you okay?" Alice asked out loud.

Tarrant's head snapped up. Her voice cracked through his thoughts shooting him back to reality realising how close she really was to the _'danger'_.

"Alice!" he cried.

Alice glared at him when he took a step forward and shouted, "No! I'm going to talk to him! Just let me try!"

Tarrant froze. _Okay, just let her try…just let her try…just let her try._ He chanted in his mind while keeping his eyes on the pair the whole time.

"Eric?" Alice said softly looking back at the boy's absent eyes. The mist was swirling around the air above him, up and down, and also flowing around his body like a snake coiling around his waist and right arm, "Eric?"

"Alice…" she gasped as the boy's mouth whispered her name.

She grabbed his shoulders and began to call out while shaking him gently, "Eric? Eric! Hatter, did you hear that? He heard me! Eric! Eric! Come on! I know you're alright! Talk to me Eric!"

"Alice? Alice!" Eric's eyes darkened to their original colour weeks ago and expression returned to his features. He looked as if he were about to cry, "Alice! I'm so sorry! I've being trying to get back! Trying to get control over myself again! I'm so sorry it's taking so long!"

"No, it's okay – it's alright!" Alice cried smiling up at the boy's watery eyes, "Its okay now, you're back!"

"No…" he shook his head and whimpered before adding, "I still haven't returned, Alice…at least not yet…but I will continue to concentrate as I have been and hopefully…soon I will leave Daze for good – for good!"

Then Eric groaned and hunched over slightly.

"Eric!"

"Alice," Eric took her hands in his, off of his shoulders, and pushed them back in to her chest. He then whispered, "No. Please, I am hazardous in this state…and I do not wish to hurt you."

"But –" Alice started but he interrupted her.

"I do not want to hurt you…but this syndrome is so violent. It thrashes out at everything not seeing anything, and as I, the soul of the shell, am not present to be its guide…it cannot see, hear or feel," he let go of her hands and took a few steps back, away from her. He then smiled weakly and said, "I'm not very good at humour, so I cannot really make this as funny as some might…but this isn't even stage three of the MoonCamp syndrome."

Alice remembered before when he had said about the small breakdown he had, not even being stage one. She laughed weakly, also beginning to cry, "You're right. That was terrible humour!"

He smiled weakly again but just as quick groaned and hunched over, "Ah! I'm being pulled back to Daze – the other place! The place where I sit and concentrate! No! I don't want to go back!"

Alice watched in horror as he groaned and rolled about on the floor fighting an invisible force.

"Eric?" Alice didn't know if she could help him but as she took a step forward he screamed at her.

"NO! Alice, please go! I am struggling here! You cannot be harmed!" he then whispered desperately before returning to the disturbing struggles with his own body, "You are our only hope…AH! Please, I don't want to go back there! Let me stay!"

Tarrant took that as the cue to step in. He placed a hand on Alice's shoulder and said, "Alice, I really think you should listen to him. We have to get out of here!"

Alice took a shaky breathe and then nodded turning away from the tormented boy. The two began to run away down the palace corridors hearing Eric's painful moans until suddenly it all went silent. Alice stopped and looked back frozen by fear and curiosity. Tarrant also stopped for Alice. The two stood in the middle of the next long corridor waiting in the silence. The cold air crept up Alice's trembling arms and a purple fog seemed to be entering the corridor quite some way away. Then a body dragging a dead leg and wearing a blank face with pale eyes appeared at the end. Alice gasped and then screamed resuming their run.

The body of the boy ran two steps but fell on the twisted leg, it ignored the pain though and struggled up to standing an repeated the run and fall sequence over and over allowing Alice and Tarrant to create a distance between them.

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**Again, questions in reviews or PMs and I shall answer as best I can ^_~ Much appreciation for reading! :)**

**ROCK'N'ROLL! :D**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hiya guys, sorry I take so long...^^"**

**A very short chapter but don't worry I'll update sooner next time ;) And nobody panic - Tarrant will be happier in the future, I promise ^_~**

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They were in a place Alice had never been before. He grass was a greyish colour, the flowers seemed non-existent here and the sky was dull and smothered with miserable dark clouds. She absentmindedly moved closer to the hatter, as the small group trudged through the queasy atmosphere of the forest.

What had started out as just over a hundred people screaming in panic had narrowed down to nine people wondering around in a part of Underland that was not very well-known. The group of nine were made up of Alice, Tarrant, Queen Mirana, McTwisp, Mallymkun, Chessur, Thackery and the Tweedles.

"Tarrant, where are we?" Alice asked gazing around at the usually-spectacular currently-wasteland Underland (**A/N – That makes no sense…but then it kinda does…**).

"You sure you still wanna help 'im?" the man asked in his Scottish accent and Alice knew what he was referring to as well. She looked down at her feet contemplating for a moment and then brought her eyes up to meet his orange, reddish ones (**A/N – can't remember what colour they are when he's like…kinda angry or a little peeved**). Alice gave a quick but meaningful nod and he continued as he gazed ahead, "We're in the forgotten lands, the Dead Forest of Rayne in particular."

Alice gasped, "You mean –" she stopped a little nervous and scared to finish the question and ask.

The hatter nodded and then confirmed with, "Yes, Alice…we're in MoonCamp."

~_. ~_.

"Please stop crying, Eric," Rosary said softly as she gently smoothed his back with her small hand. She then turned her head away slightly and mumbled to herself more than him, "I mean it has been four hours by now."

"But I saw her! I spoke to her! What if I didn't hang on long enough? What if my body got to her?" he whimpered as Rosary tried to think of something to say. In the end she just sighed and tried to change the topic, "Remember when we were younger, and Mother and Father were still alive? They would sing to us when we were sad. They would sing happy songs when we cried so that we would smile again."

He sniffled and then slowly looked up from his hands in to her identical eyes and answered weakly, "Yeah."

"Well, let's sing then!" she said smiling widely at him.

There was a pause as she waited for his response but after a few moments he didn't agree instead his eyebrows fell back over his eyes again and the tears rolled on.

"But I don't wanna sing when Alice needs me!"

As his face fell back in to his hand, all Rosary could do was roll her eyes and continue to rub his back comfortingly. She sighed, "It's alright Eric…it's alright…brother…"

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**I'll update sooner this time ;D Promise!**

**ROCK'N'ROLL!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay, I told you it would be a quicker update ;D I think some will like this chapter and you'll see why at the end ;)**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing and waiting patiently ^_^ Much love x x**

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"So this castle is a thousand years old?" Alice asked, gazing up at the high ballroom ceiling.

"You wouldn't think so, but yes," the white queen smiled.

Just then Alice completely forgot where she was and how beautiful it was and remembered something – someone. Someone she hadn't seen since they arrived a few hours ago.

"Your highness," Alice started looking down at her feet.

"Call me Mirana, please," the queen smiled again, "We're more like sisters than a queen and her friend, and sisters call each other by name."

"Um, okay then, Mirana, thank you," Alice then continued, "Do you happen to know where Tarrant went off to?"

"Tarrant?" she raised her eyebrows – not shocked, intrigued, "Yes, I do. He's just upstairs and in the second bedroom on the left. We thought we would place you in the third on the left and so I simply had to place him next door. Go. Go and see him."

"Okay," Alice gave quick slight curtsy and then quickly shuffled away feeling the white queen's gaze the whole time. Alice was going to see him anyway, without Queen Mirana's suggestion.

As soon the ballroom doors shut behind her and the white queen couldn't see her eagerness, she broke in to a run and didn't slow down when she ascended the stairs. She was in such a rush she didn't notice McTwisp hopping down the staircase and nearly knocked him off of his feet. She called an apology over her shoulder as she reached the top and then turned left down the hallway, coming to the second bedroom door. She found the door a jar and so she peered in.

When she looked in she saw him. He was sitting on the bed staring at nothing in particular, away from her, toward the window. His famous top hat sat next to him. He wasn't talking to himself – no – he was deadly quiet and since she hadn't seen him smile in so long, she was becoming worried about him.

"Tarrant?" Alice called his name quietly but he heard her and gasped, shocked to find her there.

He shot up to his feet and turned to face her, "Alice! Did you get lost? Are you looking for someone? I'll take you to your room – it's just next door you know. It's nice too. I just checked for you – err, to make sure there weren't any, err, spiders and whatnot. I mean there was this one spider, but she was very cooperative. I asked ever so politely if she wouldn't mind moving her web in to the hallway instead and she obliged quite contently. But the room is lovely. I think you'll like it. It's not quite an Alice room but it's still very beautiful and probably very refreshing to wake up too –"

Alice giggled causing him to stop mid-sentence. He looked at her still filled with worry like usual, nowadays.

"Do you need something Alice? _Are_ you looking for someone or _are_ you lost?" he asked again.

Alice stepped in to the room and walked over to him, "I _was_ looking for someone, but I found them."

"Oh…then why are you in my room?" he asked. Of course he wouldn't understand what she meant – he was worried, scared and a little confused at the moment.

Alice just chuckled to herself and then smiled up at him, "I mean you, Mr. Hightopp!"

He stared down her for a few short moments as if processing what she really meant. He then shook his head unable to understand – unable to read between the lines, "But…why? You saw me a little while ago, didn't you?"

Alice sighed and rolled her eyes, still smiling, "Yes, I did see you earlier but I wanted to see you again."

"…Why?" he asked again, looking at her as if she were as mad as him.

"Because…because…" Alice then realised she wasn't quite sure why. She just felt like she wanted to see him, like she needed to. She liked being with him and she liked seeing him happy. She had realised why she had found him a little annoying before – but she had also realised it was because she was being spoilt and couldn't get her own way. But when she saw how he was trying to see the situation through her eyes (when he let her try and speak with Eric), she decided that she was being extremely unfair. She decided to try and see the situation through his eyes and understood why he was acting so. Now that Alice had come to terms with that, all her feelings toward him had sprung right back in place. Where they had been fighting with the feeling of annoyance and now it was gone, the rush of emotion had come back full force and become so much stronger than before.

Alice gasped and he did too but he wasn't sure why. Alice realised why - she finally realised why she felt this way. She looked him in the eyes,, her face serious but featured with a brilliant smile that made the man's heart skip a beat.

"Tarrant Hightopp I came to find you because…well, because I love you!"

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**Ah, young love...well, actually I have no idea how old Tarrant is but I don't really care since apparantly he had a argument with Time but - oh well! It doesn't matter anyway! Tarrant and Alice are so cute together! ^_^**

**But bare in mind this story is also listed as a tradegy :p So I'll let you guys ponder on that - Haha! I'm so evil!**

**What will happen in the next chapter? Ooh! Updating soon! ;D**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	13. Chapter 13

**Right, I think I kept you waiting long enough ;) Haha! Sorry guys, it wasn't really an intentional wait. So, anyways here is the next chapter for the story ^_~**

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_Previously -_

Alice gasped and he did too but he wasn't sure why. Alice realised why - she finally realised why she felt this way. She looked him in the eyes, her face serious but featured with a brilliant smile that made the man's heart skip a beat.

"Tarrant Hightopp I came to find you because…well, because I love you!"

* * *

The two stood opposite each other. One frozen in place staring down at a beautiful, wonderful young women, the other smiling up at a crazy, amazing mad man.

Alice felt a little worried now as it had been a few moments of silence and no reaction had come from the man she had just confessed her love to.

"Well?" Alice asked uncertainly, "...Hatter?"

Tarrant then blinked when he realised her smile had started wavering uncertainly. He dropped down to his knees in front of her. He stared up at her his eyes beginning to water, becoming teary.

"Tarrant? Are you alright?" Alice cried, kneeling down to be at the same level.

"Alice..." his voice was quiet and shaky. Alice starred in to his eyes, concern written over all her magnificent features, "...Thank you."

It was quiet for another few moments until alice slowly shook her head - this time she didn't understand - she asked, "Why? For what?"

He then smiled at her and carefully took her face between his hands, "Thank you for loving me, Alice."

Alice gasped and then smiled back at him with that dazling smile, "You mean -"

He nodded happily, as a few happy tears slide from his eyes and replied, "Yes. I was waiting for you."

"I'm sorry I made you wait. I should have told you sooner," she said softly laughing. She was laughing away the small rejection she felt earlier. He laughed with her - that was until she leant forward and linked her lips with his in a love felt kiss.

"What's this?"

Alice and Tarrant pulled apart and spun their heads to the door to find they had an audience. But the one who had spoken was not directing her question to the couple in the room. Queen Mirana was stood behind the small crowd with her hands on her hips, "I believe they would like some privacy."

The group all groaned and whined but shifted all the same. Alice laughed and then smiled up at her best friend. Mirana smiled back at her and winked as she shut the door for them and walked away.

Alice turned her head back to the Hatter to find him already staring at her with love clearly shown in his eyes. She giggled and then leant forward again to continue where they had left off. He smiled just before their lips met and closed his eyes as she did.

* * *

**Eric -** Am I still in Daze?

**Hazzard - **Yes**.**

**Eric - **Oh**...*sniff***

**Hazzard - **Oh, here we go again ***sigh***

**Yes, this is a very small chapter sorry but the next shall be longer, with some action in it too, hopefully ;D Thank you for reading, remember to review ^_~**

**ROCK'N'ROLL READING PEOPLES!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, I thought this chapter would be the action chapter but no, this is the chapter **_**that leads up**_** to the action chapter ^^" ...hopefully... Anyway I promised you a quicker upload and a longer one too and that is what I present to you today ^_^ Hee!**

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Eric and Rosary were sitting next to each other. Eric had his eyes closed as he was still concentrating - even after more than twenty-four hours - and Rosary was sat beside him with her chin in her left palm, staring off in to the dark distance. Here she was with her brother and all he ever wanted to do was sit still in absolute silence. Rosary was with the one person she felt happiest with and now she felt more alone than ever.

She sighed and dared to speak, "Eric, please, you've been here for days now. Take a break and talk to me."

Rosary waited for him to reply but he didn't even move. Not even his blank facial expression changed.

She tried again, "Eric. Eric, c'mon now. Please don't ignore me. You know how sad I get when you don't listen to me...why are you ignoring me? It's usually because I have done something to provoke you and you refuse to act because you don't want to hurt me. I thank you for that, brother, but I don't want you to pretend I'm not here! Please!"

Still nothing.

"Eric!" she was beginning to get angry now, "What happened to you since you left? You seemed to have changed in some ways. You seem to have forgotten me! You're so determined to get back for a reason I don't understand...and that Alice! You're always talking about her! It's her, isn't it? Alice - the one! Well, I don't think she's that much of a big deal, myself, to be honest. To me she's nothing but a murderer that has cursed us all for God knows how many years! The Temple Guardian told me that it could be as long as the Jabberwocky's life if we're unlucky! So, I do not like her...Eric what's the matter with you?"

She stared at the boy who was completely still and unreacting. Rosary then realised that tears had formed in her eyes and already escaped down her cheeks, she growled and then shoved Eric's side hard, "I hate you!"

Eric's body fell sideways to the ground and then just lay there lifeless.

"You're asleep?" she shrieked, but then she gasped and shook her head, "No, no. It can't have worked! It can't! Or maybe...maybe it didn't work and..."

Just then Rosary watched in horror as her brother's body started to fade away. She gasped terrified and lunged at him but she couldn't grab him. Her hands flew straight through him and grasped a few blades of grass from the ground.

She stared, wide-eyed and teary, where her brother once was a few moments ago.

"His body is calm. He is back."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tarrant asked her for the tenth time.

Alice laughed softly as she climbed on to the back of the Bandersnatch, who had arrived later than everyone else after he woke up and realised the palace was deserted. Luckily he had found Alice's scent and followed it to the ancient castle and she was very happy to see him too. Of course, she asked him if he wouldn't mind helping with the new challenge and, of course, he agreed.

"Tarrant, I made a promise that I would help Eric and his family and that is what I am going to do," she then smiled sweetly, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine as long as I think of seven impossible things before breakfast."

"Seven? Wasn't it six?" he asked a little confused.

"Not anymore. Seven - being in love with a mad man," she told him, making him smile up at her lovingly.

"Ah, okay!" his scottish accent suddenly kicked in, "Right then, let's grab out armour and get moving! On we go to central MoonCamp!" (**A/N - I know that doesn't really sound very scottish-Tarrant but I have no idea what he would really say in that accent ^^" Heh. Just go with it for me ^_~ Thanks guys**)

Everyone started walking, marching or even running in Mally's case, as she was so small.

Alice promised her friend she would save him and his people and now she was going to seal that promise.

* * *

"R-Rose? A-A-Alice?" Eric sat up slowly and looked around to see were he was. It was a bit hard to tell because of how blury everything looked. He then gasped and had a mini-spasm as pain writhed up and down his leg. It registered slowly on his brain but when he finally realised he cried out in agony. He breathed in and out taking slow deep breathes trying to calm down and adjust to the excruciating pain he was currently in.

Eric looked around again, his eyesight much more clearer now, and quickly realised where he was. He had walked through this way many times with Rosary when they were going to or going home from the temple. That's where Alice would eventually be, if not there already, so he decided to - at least try - and make his way there.

He knew it would be too much to stand, let alone walk there, so he attempted dragging himself across the cold forest grounds. It still caused him unimaginable agony but he kept thinking about the people he loved and why he had to get to the temple.

"Alice - I need to help you. Mallymkun -I need to tell you I'm sorry...Rosary...I need to save you, my little angel," he kept chanting through the pain and just thinking about these three girls he seemed to have grown attached to (one for obvous reasons) helped him to stay focus on his goal of reaching his destination.

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**Hopefully - if I haven't missed anything out or messed anything up - I will have the next chapter as the action-packed (but-not-so-action-packed because I'm not good at writing about action) part of the story.**

**Thank you for reading remember to Review ^_^**

**ROCK'N'ROLL!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'M OFFICIALLY CONFUSED ON HOW TO SPELL THE NAME! I've spelt two different ways without realising :'S I'm sorry guys. I'll spell it this way from now on - Chessur. Whether it's wrong or right - I have no idea - but it's the spelling I'll use. Anyways, here's the action-packed but not-so-action-packed chapter 15 ^_^ x x Hee! Have fun reading! Not long till the end my friends! ;D**

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As they neared the temple they came across a trail of blood - a lot of blood - and it was still wet which meant whatever had bled all of this was not too far away. I suppose you could say they were lucky as they weren't drawn off of their course; the blood line led straight to the temple which could also be seen from a mile away.

Alice followed the trail along the ground as the Bandersnatch trudged on, until she heard a few people gasp. She looked around to them and then followed their eye line. She then gasped herself for a boy lay on the ground just ahead of them. A boy she knew lay at the foot of many stairs leading up to the high main Temple Hall.

"Eric!" Alice screamed. She jumped off of the Bandersnatch's back and dashed to her friends aid. She skidded to a stop and fell down to his side on her knees and rolled him over to see his face, "Eric? Eric!"

His eyes rolled about unevenly and a odd smile hovered over his face. His voice sounded cracked and weak, "Alice? Oh, Alice. I'm back...I'm back and you're safe. You're so safe and wonderful...and magnificent and amazing...and beautiful. Beautiful, lovely Miss. Alice."

(**A/N - Finding it hard to imagine since he's always so quiet and sensible? Well...think of someone who's tipsy or sort of drunk x'D Seriously - but its really just where he's so weak ^_~).**

Alice giggled weakly while still worrying about his well being, "Oh, Mr. Eric, shush."

She turned to the group and looked to Tarrant who was looking away at the ground with a lonely look on his face.

"Tarrant? Would you please help me, help my friend, dear?" she asked. Eric subconsciously lost his smile as he thought through her wording, while Tarrant looked over to her a smile now appearing on his face instead.

"Of course, Alice," he obliged.

"Hello, sir," Eric greeted him weakly, "I'm sorry...I never told you...I'm a...MoonCamper."

The Hatter then felt a pang in his chest. After everything he had said to the boy, after all the horrible comments he had made, Eric was still being so polite and respectful.

"You're a real gentleman, aren't you?" he said more so to himself than anyone. Alice just smiled while Eric didn't quite understand what he meant.

Tarrant scooped the boy up from the ground with some difficulty, as Eric was almost completely limb, and carried him over to the Bandersnatch. He placed him on its back and the beast shivered from the trickling blood that continued to leak from Eric's wounds.

"Okay then, so we have arrived," Alice annouced turning to look up at the temple grounds high and almost intimidating. She then turned back to the group and smiled at her injured, poorly friend, "And we have Eric back. So all we need to do now, is grab the Jade treasure, throw it in the well and get out before the Jabberwocky-llike-beast notices us...did I miss anything out, Eric?"

"Nope...that's it," he smiled weakly and then just as quick lost the smile again.

Alice took a deep breathe and then nodded, "Tarrant, Chessur, I'll need your help. Everyone else stay here."

Everyone nodded and obeyed their orders. Alice, Tarrant and Chess began to ascend the many steep steps up to the temple's main open-hall.

The group watched them walk away, all except Eric who starred down at Mallymkun.

"Dear Mouse..." he whispered, but she heard him. She looked up at him shyly with sorrow playing in the corners of her eyes. He was a little confused at this, "Why are you sad?"

"I am not sad!" she half shrieked stubbornly and looked away from him crossing her arms, "I am angry!"

"Dear Mouse, why are you angry?" he asked her.

She gasped but then shouted at him angrily, "Don't call me that!"

"Dear Mouse, why ever not?" he asked. She glared up at him and he sighed before adding, "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I scare you by being something I do not choose. I cannot help my being a MoonCamper and for that I am truly sorry. Whether or not I am still, if ever, a friend of yours you, my Dear Mouse, are a dear friend of mine."

Mallymkun stared up at him, the anger had already drained away. She shook her head as the sorrow took place again, and sighed. She then ran up to the Bandersnatch and used its long thick furr to climb up its back and to sit just beside Eric's face. She found it hard to look him in the eye and slumped over sighing.

"I'm not angry. I just find it hard being wrong," she told him. She then looked at him to show him she was being sincere, "I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have said all of what I did. It was wrong of me. I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me, Eric. You are my friend, my dear friend too."

Eric smiled and slowly used his strength to plant a soft sweet kiss on her head. She blushed but reacted in her usual Mally way.

"Eck! What do you think you're playing?" they then laughed with each other.

* * *

"Oh, my aching paws," Chessur moaned, "How many stairs have we climbed?"

"You flew," the Hatter grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Shush!" Alice hissed at them. She then glanced around checking if the coast was clear, "Not a beast in sight."

"Ooh! What a dazzling rock that is," Chessur purred. Alice and Tarrant followed his eye line and found it.

There it was! The Jade Treasure! The MoonCamp God's treasure!

"Fairly straight forward," Alice commented, quoting Eric from weeks ago. She again checked her surroundings and then nodded to the other two before they began to advance.

They all crept silently toward the beautiful green stone. If that creature was around they didn't want to alert it of their arrival...if they hadn't already. As they neared the target, a deep pit in the centre of the floor - that had not been visable from the edges of the large open room - finally came in to view. Alice gasped and stopped in her tracks, holding her hand up to stop her friends too. For down in the deep dark pit was a beast that really did look related to the Jabberwocky. The only slight differences were the three terrifingly razor sharp horns atop its head and the many dagger-like spikes on its long snake-like tail.

Now the fear started to settle in. This monster looked more scary than anything - even the Jabberwocky, himself.

Alice placed her finger to her lips and told the guys to stay quiet and then motioned for them to follow her around the giant hole in the ground. They didn't get far until they were startled by a new voice they had never heard before.

"You!" they all looked around and found a short girl standing on the opposite side of the room to them. She wore a black dress ending just below her knees and white tights to cover her legs. She wore her dark, redish hair in ribbons and her eyes...a Sapphire left and a ruby right - Eric's eyes.

"Rosary?" Alice asked, shocked.

"You're Alice aren't you?" she asked, glaring at her.

"How can you speak? Eric told me you were dumb," Alice said.

"Are you Alice or not?" She shouted.

Alice then gasped as she heard the large beast in the pit stir in its sleep, "Shh! Please Rosary, be quiet."

"I am not a child! So, I would appreciate not being treated like one!" she almost screamed ignoring Alice's wishes.

"Okay, Okay. I'm sorry, but I really need you to listen to me and be quiet, Rosary," Alice pleaded, glancing down at the creature.

"No! _You _be quiet and _you _listen to me!" Rosary shouted angrily at her, "Eric changed...after meeting you Eric changed! I know all about the concentration he put in to returning - I was there! I thought I'd be happier with my brother beside me but no! He never said anything for the last few days. Told me off if I distracted him. But it wasn't fair! It wasn't even fair when he was talking to me. All he ever talked about was you! Alice this and Miss. Alice that! Oh, Alice is the one. She'll save us! I need to help Alice, Rosary! Do you know how sick I am of hearing your name? You have stolen my brother from me! The only person who I have! He doesn't think of me anymore! Only you!"

She then glared at the Hatter and added, "He mentioned you too, Mr. Hightopp. About your racism! How dare you! You Safes don't know anything about our generation. You only know of the eldest generation and that was many many years ago, sir. Grow up! You can't place everyone under the same light!"

It was silent for a few moments until Alice tried to speak but no, Rosary wouldn't let her try to justify the situation.

"I know all about you! Eric told me everything! And if you're wondering what really ticks me off about you - you did this! You made us all lose sanity when you murdered the Jabberwocky!"

Suddenly a thunderous roar echoed the open hall and fire rose up from the pit in front of them. (**A/N - they're still in the room. I know it's not very descriptive but I guess you could say - It has three walls and where the fourth wall should be is a few thick pillars holding the ceiling up**). Alice fell back in shock but the Hatter caught her before she touched the ground, whereas Rosary was alone and hit cold marble floor hard.

When the fire cleared, flying in mid-air was the monsterous beast and it was glaring at the youngest of them all. She stared up at it with evident horror in her multi-coloured eyes and gave out a small whimper.

"You dare disturb my slumber?" the voice was female and extremely irritated.

Rosary was speechless. Her words had run away with fear and Alice saw this, "Hey! Leave her alone."

The monster turned to Alice, Tarrant and Chessur - Chessur who had shrunk a little in to the background. _Scaredy-cat_, Tarrant thought.

"Why should I?" the beast asked loudly leaning toward Alice intimidatingly, "She was screaming about my infamous father! Who was it?"

"Huh?"

"Who slayed my father?" she asked angrily.

Alice gulped silently but stepped forward away from her two friends and looked up at the female dragon, "I did. But he was terrorising a lot of people. I had to do something," Alice explained bravely.

The monster looked down at Alice and told her calmly, "You're lucky I was never really close with my father."

Alice felt a small amount of relief until she added.

"So your death will be quick and painless."

"What!" Alice cried, taking a fearful step back.

"Well, we may not have been that close but we have always been blood, no?" the creature then lunged it's long neck forward toward the group of three. Alice and Tarrant jumped out of the way to the left while Chessur just disappear. The beast laughed wickedly, "Well, I suppose it's impolite of me to not introduce myself before I kill you. I am the Jewelander, daughter of the Jabberwocky, don't ask about my mother we ate her years ago - AHAHA!"

She began to chase them, cackling evilly, snapping her jaws at them as Alice and Tarrant ran in a zig-zag pattern avoiding the ferocious bite. Rosary was stuck to the ground watching terrified. She then noticed something move out the corner of her eye. She turned and saw him - Eric - and he looked terrible.

"Alice!" he cried, dragging a lifeless leg along with him. But he fell as pain seethed around his wounds. He whimpered, "I can help, Alice."

Rosary stared at him confused and slightly angered. She didn't understand it but he was her brother and she loved him dearly. He wanted to help Alice...help Alice.

"Oi! Jewelander! I'm the one that woke you, aren't I?" The Jewelander stopped the chase and looked over to the girl as if waiting for her to explain. Alice and Tarrant had run off to hide behind a pillar, but they peered round trying to work out what this girl was doing.

Eric himself had just realised she was there, "Rose?"

"Well, aren't I?" she pushed.

The Jewleander stomped up to the girl swaying as she took each step as a result of her enoumous size. When she was directly in front of the girl, she lower her head, "And your point is? If you want me to eat you. You'll just have to wait your turn, my dear."

"I don't really like waiting. I'm the kind of person to_ do _what she wants to _do_. Though it's usually a need. Or rather it feels like a need. So I always _do what I need to do _while _other _people are _dealing _with the _problem,_" she ended with a cheesy smile. Alice had immediately realised why Rosary had emphasised those particular words and motioned for the Hatter to follow her.

"You know, you are probably one of the most annoying creatures I have ever encountered," the Jewelander growled.

"Me? Well, you obviously haven't met Temple Guardian Fearah, have you?" she said making pointless conversation in an attempt to stall for her brother in order to help Alice.

"Of course I have, darling," the Jewelander sighed shrugging her huge scaley shoulders, "I met him - then I ate him. Quite like I'm going to eat you in a minute."

"Ah, I did wonder where he had disappeared off to," Rosary lied making the Jewelander grumble in annoyance.

While this pointless conversation continued, Alice silently and swiftly made her way across the space and had already retrieved the precious rock from the tablet where it was positioned. She flew down a small set of stairs, just as steep as the stairs at the enterance, and found herself in front of the well that fell deep in to the Earth's core.

The Jewelander roared furiously, silencing Rose, "ENOUGH! URGH! I thought I'd rid the world of stupidity with that last fool but apparantly not! Maybe you are right. I won't wait to eat you after, I'll eat you now."

"Eh?" Rosary took a fearful step back.

"That way I don't have to listen to your constant babbling about nonsence which I clearly care not for," the Jewelander concluded. She opened her jaws to capture the girl in when all of a sudden the Jewelander swayed unevenly screeching in pain.

"Eric? Eric! What are you doing?" Rosary cried scared for her brother.

"Protecting my little angel," he replied not turning back to look at her.

He had a yellow mist hugging his body and something had formed out of it, out of the nothing-ness, in his hands - a sword, much like a samurai sword. He had penetrated the scaley skin of the beasts lower right foot, causing it pain.

"The Fog...Eric! The Fog!" she cried trying to warn him. She had learnt it as a sign from staying behind in MoonCamp's central village.

"Rose! I'm fine!" he told her as he drew the blade out of the creature causing her to yowl and then growl at him. She turned a fiery dangerous glare on the boy and lunged toward him making those ginormous jaws crash together, echoing like thunder. But he had jumped out of the way toward his sister.

He landed not before shrieking in pain. Everyone froze and watched the boy in absolute horror as he lay cold on the floor, his wounds still leeking and draining him. But now...now he had a new wound - a bigger wound. Yes, he had avoided been snapped and swallowed whole but he had not been so lucky to survive_ as a whole_. There was now a gaping hole where his stomach and liver should be.

"E-Eric?" Rose breathed the name out.

"R-R-Rosy...my Rosey Rosary..." he replied with a weak smile on his face, much like before.

His sister whimpered as she collapsed to her knees beside him. Alice herself gasped and for a moment forgot her objective letting the Jade fall to the ground as she herself dashed to her friend's side like Rose.

"I'm all for heartfelt farewells of loved ones - after all I arranged my own mother's, like I said - but this isn't very entertaining for me so I'll be cutting in now, I suppose," the Jewelander commented ending with a growl. But before she could finish what she had intended, Tarrant, Chessur and the rest of the group that were meant to be waiting outside appeared and charged at her, armed with weapons they had brought along with them.

With two of his favourite girls beside him, Eric weakly smiled to himself feeling lucky to be with them.

"I'm going to tell you both...what I need to...before I go. Alice...I know you feel for that man and I am happy he feels for you back. I truly am...But all I want you to know is that I felt for you too...I still do as I'm dying now but when I am gone...well, I may still feel for you even then, I do not know. But what I need to tell you, Miss. Alice...is that I love you, dearly," he told her as a single tear slid from his red eye.

Alice was crying now too. Being told that her dying friend loved her and she could do nothing to save him broke her heart. If she could not love him back and not save him from death, how could she repay him?

She leant over his face and whispered, "Thank you, Eric. Goodbye, my friend," she then gently and lightly kissed him on the lips. When she pulled away from him she smiled sorrowfully at the weak display of happiness on his face.

He sighed blissfully and then turned to his sister, "And you, Rosary...I love you so much. Don't you dare do anything stupid when I'm gone! I'll know...because I'll always be there watching over you...I think about you all the time...and I can always rely on you...I am so glad that I chose to bring you up after...mother and father died. At first I wasn't sure I'd be able to cope but you were my sister. I couldn't just abandon you...I am exceptionally happy to have you by my side now...Of course, I hate that you have to see me like this...but I am greatful to say goodbye...and to get the chance to tell you how much you really mean to me," he shuddered then and the two girls gasped, knowing his time was very close.

Rosary snapped and began to sob, "Oh, Eric! I'm so sorry! I'm a terrible sister - always getting in the way! Always being so dependant on you! Always getting so jealous of others around you! I'm sorry, brother! Please don't go! Please don't leave me here! I don't want to be alone! You know I don't like to be alone! I won't have anyone to love me if you go! I don't want you to leave! I'm still not a woman! I have yet to marry a husband that impresses you! Eric! You can't! Please, don't leave me here all by myself. Ple-ee-eese!"

Eric's face cringed at the thought of leaving her like this. Using the last of his strength he pulled her down with him. She lay silently with her head on his chest, like she used when she had the nightmares, and he gently stroked her hair, like _he _used. He then began to hum a tune she knew very well, and she whimpered closing her eyes tightly as she clutched at the clothing of his ripped blazor.

After a moment he began to quietly sing the seemingly significant song outloud,

"~Please don't cry, you're okay. I am here, and even if I can't stay.~ * ~I will send my love to guard you and you will always be safe.~ * ~ Though I can't always see the right path, at least I can make a start.~ * ~I'll take the lead just in case it broken. Because I love you with - all - my - heart...~ * ~ My sweetie, My darling. My beauiful little angel.~ * ~Now smile, don't get wild. Calm down and listen to me.~ * ~Honey...my lovely.~ ~~I love you~~...~Please don't cry, you're okay..."

As his hand gently rested on Rosary's shoulder, they heard the last breathe leave his lungs. Rosary turned her head into his chest to hide her emotional state not that it hid the trembling of her shoulders or the twitching of her hair around her face.

Alice wiped away a few tears of her own and checked to see if the others may need her help with the beast. Sure enough she had looked their way just as the Jewelander was caught off guard and, just like her father, had her head chopped off.

_Good_, Alice thought as she rose from the floor, _now all that needs doing is the destruction of the Jade stone._

When she finally reached the deep well once again, the room was silent and watching her carefully. She rose the rock above her head and looked up at it.

"This is for you, Eric," she declared as she let the jade slip out of her hands and fall down, down, down into the Earth.

They all waited until Rosary lifted herself away from her brother's body and called up to Alice emotionless, "I felt it. We are safe now."

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**The end is nigh...if that's how you spell it. Oh and speaking of spelling - grammar mistakes may be a little high in this chapter because of how long it is and because I cannot use Micro_just-in-case-space_Word at the current moment in time. So please, excuse them for today, thank you.**

**So, there you have it. The tradegy that was bound to happen from the start. I'm sorry if anyone got attached (damn! I did...but then he is my character). Oh! And the little song is mine too. I made it up just now - just for this story. You'll find out why he sung it in the next chapter though it is quite obvious anyways ^_^**

**Also the sword that just materialised out of thin air? Well it really materialised out of the yellow mist. Which - yeah, you guessed it - is the Unstable Fog (one of the danger signs of the MoonCamp Syndrome). Not much thought went in to that - I know - but yellow Fog is one of the most powerful which is why he was able to manifest a weapon that he desperately needed to protect his sibling. But of course when he was...well...to be blunt, bitten he lost the energy to manifest anything therefore also losing the mist ^_^ ...Confused? I am...a little...but I should understand it more than you do - it is my Syndrome...wait o.O ...that didn't sound right...Oh, well! You know what I mean! ;D**

**Anyway thank you all so so so much for reading, make sure you read Chapter 16 that sums it all up and remember to review to tell me what you think, what you thought, how you felt, what you feel ;)**

**Much love, you rock('n'roll) guys!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi guys! This is the last chapter of 'It's All Because Of You'. I want to thank you so much for reading the story and I'm happy that some of you have enjoyed it. For those of you who have not enjoyed it...I'm sorry I failed :'S Anyways - here is chapter 16 to sum it all up ^_^**

* * *

It had been a year since Eric had died - the day MoonCamp became Safe - and a short girl, the age of sixteen, was walking along a worn path, next to colourful flowers and little toadstools. Her new black and red dress bounced along with her long dark red hair as she took each step and her eyes sparkled. She started to run as it was almost dark and she knew she wanted to get there before the sun went down - it was her surprise for them.

Rosary smiled excitedly as the house came in to view and even more so when she realised Alice was already outside, bringing her washing in.

"Alice!" she cried waving her hand to greet her.

Alice looked over and smiled too when she saw her, "Hi Rose!"

Rosary jumped in front of Alice and stopped. She laughed softly and then hugged her friend, "Good evening, Alice! Do you know what day it is?"

Alice's smile faultered slightly because she did know what day it was, "Eric's day, huh?"

"Well, yes, but my people have actually given it a name. Not just for Eric though for everyone," Rosary let go of Alice and stood in front of her again. She still had a small smile though, "But it's not very original, I mean really! Safe day?"

Alice giggled and so did Rosary. The girl then continued, "Anyway, yes, this is the day Eric died last year so I wanted ask if you would come and see him with me. But you'll have to decide quickly, we have to go before the sun goes down completely!"

Alice didn't question her, she simply nodded and walked in to the house quickly. Rose rocked on her feet as she waited until Alice reappeared with the Hatter holding her hand.

"Good evening, Mr. Hightopp!" Rose greeted him smiling brightly.

He smiled too and shook his head, "How many times? Call me Tarrant, Rosary!"

"I couldn't possibly do that! It's so rude and disrespectful!" the girl exclaimed.

"You talk to me using my name," Alice pointed out.

"Well, I don't know your surname," Rose shrugged laughing. The three of them had already started walking to Rose's destination and with one glance at the setting sun, Rose gasped and sped off.

"Hurry up!" she called back.

Alice and Tarrant looked at each other shocked. She was so fast, it was unbelievable.

"Quick! You won't regret it, I promise!" Rose shouted jumping up and down excitedly.

So the two hurried along, anxious to see what this was all about.

* * *

As they had ran, they had passed a few familiar faces who Rosary had called out to to tag along, so when they arrived they were a big group instead of just three. Rosary grinned excitedly as the sun was just disappearing behind a Mountain in the distance. She jumped up and down twice and then turned to her friends to find them all bent over or collapsed on the floor gasping for breath.

"Are you okay?" she asked uncertain.

"How can you run that fast!" Thackery weezed, "I think I sprained my bloody ankle!"

Rosary laughed awkwardly and apologised before explaining, "Ah, sorry. Um...well anyway, in one minute this area will become one of the most beautiful places you will ever see! Ever! And there's another surprise but I'll let you find that one out."

With that she turned and waited with the rest of the small crowd.

Suddenly small pale blue lights, hundreds of them, floated up from holes in the ground, from hollows in trees or from within caves. The bright orbs all gathered in the sky before spreading out as if lighting the area in a ghostly blue shade. Next the moon started to twinkle, it literally started to sparkle in the sky. Then finally when everything looked wonderful Rosary walked over to a grave stone with her brother's name on it and said, "Stop wasting time and get up here!"

"Alright! Alright! Sorry."

Alice gasped, as did many others in the group. There stood Eric, upon his own grave, but everyone could still see the few trees behind him in the distance - they could see them through him.

"Eric?" Alice breathed.

"Good afternoon Miss. Alice, Mr. Hightopp. Good Afternoon, Dear Mouse, Thackery, Chessur cat. Good afternoon, Tweedles. And good afternoon to you too, your highness," Eric greeted them all politely bowing. He straightened up but his eyes were still down on the ground. He was unsure how each of them would react.

After a moment of silence Rosary placed her hands on her hips, "Well, say _something_!"

"I'm seeing a ghost!" Thackery cried, pointing a finger at the boy whilst shaking.

"Eric?" Alice repeated and he looked up at her. His expression looked pained.

"I'm sorry if I scare you," he apologised looking away again, "I shall rest until next year if you would like."

"No!" Rosary and Alice cried in unison. The girls looked to each other quickly, nodded and then stared back at Eric.

"Um, you don't scare me. I'm just a little confused, is all," Alice explained. She asked, "How are you...here?"

Tarrant now explained for him, "When MoonCampers die on the date their death they are free to wonder and comunicate with their loved ones and friends and whatnot in spiritual form."

"That's why when I'm old and about to die, I shall make sure I die on the same day as Eric did," Rosary told them smiling happily at her sibling. Everyone seemed to accpet this striaght away except Alice. Alice was a little uncertain about this comment, "That way, I can come see everyone with my brother!"

"Rose, I never got to ask you," Eric started turning to his sister, "How did you find your voice?"

"Oh! When my body stabilised it was healing or, er, repairing any imperfections. Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect but I could not use my voice before and now I can - its a miracle!" She explained, finishing with a laugh.

Eric smiled sweetly at her, "Well, I'm glad I got to hear it. It's beautiful just like you, my little angel."

She blushed and giggled - she liked any compliments from anyone.

"Eric?" Alice asked, her expression serious.

He looked to her, "Yes, Miss. Alice?"

There was a silence until she smiled and said, "I missed you."

He smiled too then - maybe the happiest smile Alice had ever seen on his face, "I missed you too. And I was right...I still love you."

Alice bowed her head for a moment starting to feel a little emotional, "Thank you, Eric, I do love you too but not in the same way."

"I know," he smiled. He looked at the Hatter who was staring back at him, "I think now would be the best time, sir."

Alice looked up at Tarrant. The Hatter tilted his head to the side confused but a second later he gasped and cried, "Now? Are you sure?"

"The scenery is magical," Eric pointed out.

"In front of everyone?" Tarrant asked uneasily, "I don't want to make her feel uncomfortable."

"How can she feel uncomfortable in the company of her loved ones?" Eric retorted.

"Ah, yes, but wouldn't it be more special when we're alone?" Tarrant asked more confident about this one.

"Well, yes I surpose. But if you ask in front of everyone it shows you are not afraid of your feelings for her," Eric answered.

Tarrant held his breathe trying to work out whether he should ask this question or not. Alice was more than confused and being as curious as she is didn't like it, "Excuse me? But what in the world are you two talking about?"

Tarrant turned to her and let out the air he had been holding in. He looked to Eric momentarily who nodded, took a deep breathe and then knelt down on one knee in front of Alice. Alice gasped as the realisation kicked in. The group were now whispering excitedly and smiling happily. Rosary herself cupped her hands over her mouth.

"How did you know?" she whispered to her brother.

"I told you I would watch over you didn't I?" he whispered back, "Well, when you were waiting with Alice for Mr. Hightopp to get ready for the tea party last week, I decided to go see what was taking him so long. I found him in his room staring at a ring and talking to himself about Alice."

"Oh! Do you think he chickened out because Thackery caught him off guard with a teapot?" she asked a bit too loudly.

Thackery burst out laughing as he remembered the scene of Tarrant's pale face colliding with a china teapot.

Tarrant just looked down and sighed.

"Opps! Sorry, pretend I never said anything," Rosary laughed uneasily.

Alice giggled to herself finding it cute the way the Hatter was getting embarassed about the situation.

He took a deep breath again and then looked up to her and started, "Alice Kingsleigh...I love you, will you marry me?"

Alice smiled excitedly and nodded whislt crying, "Yes, yes! Of course I will!"

He sighed relieved and stood to hug her tightly. Everyone in the group cheered happily and crowded round them. Rosary jumped up and down excitedly again and then hopped over to them to congratulate Alice.

Eric stayed by his grave and watched. He was happy because she was happy but he was sad because it was not him she was with. He would always love her, he had learnt that in the year he had been dead, but she would never love him in the way he desired most. Which is why he possessed no hard feelings for the man who broke his strength against the Syndrome and at the same time his heart. He saw how jealousy had caused problems for Rosary and so he would not fall victim to envy. Eric decided he would simply watch over his loved ones and talk to them for one night per year. That is until the day that none of the living shall know till it has fallen upon them. The other spirits had told him that the day will come when some will return. Sudruous Day was coming and he will fight when it arrives to stand by his sister and the friends he has made once again. He will live once more.

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**That is the end of the story. Any questions review 'em ;D (Like always) or PM 'em to me!**

**Just to point out, I couldn't fit the explaination of the song in this chapter because it didn't seem right wherever I put it, so I'll just explain now - It is a lullaby sort of song that Eric sung to Rosary when she was little and had nightmares or when she was scared or sad or whatnot. It basically calmed her down and made her feel better, safer.**

**Anyway! Thank you everyone SOOOOOO much for reading my story and reviewing!**

**Please review this chapter even if you've reviewed before. PLEASE! I absolutely need to know what you think and how you think I can improve!**

**There may be a sequel (that's why it has a strange open sort of ending) but that won't be for another year or year and a half. So you can decide if you want to place me on your Alert list or not ^_^ Hee!**

**SO MUCH APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF YOU! LOVE YOU GUYS LOADS! ROCK'N'ROLL, PEOPLES!**

**Lv Lv Hazzard ^_^ x x - Out!**


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